Essay by Sean Thibeaud

My name is Sean Thibeaud, I am a 10 year old boy from Ardfert, Co. Kerry. I have heard about the war in Syria and how some leaders think building walls to stop refugees from Syria jumping onto trucks cause they might get hurt or the truck owners might get arrested or in trouble. How desperate must these people be to risk their lives and the lives of their children doingthis to have a happy life. They are humans like us so why should they be treated different?

So why build a wall instead of building a shelter and getting food and education? Why are they spending money on security instead of secure homes for children? Paying for barbed wire which hurts instead of doctors who heal. These people have been in overloaded rowing boats without oars hoping they will end up on a safe country. Only to be told ‘get out’. They Irish Navy are saving as many as they can, which makes me proud, but how many children have to die before the people in power come to realize war is a waste of time. These people have left everything they know to be safe with their children and live their life. When our politicians in Ireland lose their seat in the Dail they don’t stay in power, so why should Bashar al-Assad? There is no reason good enough in this world to bomb any village, town or city of people in any country.

I do not enjoy knowing all this. Could you please do something to help and not let these refugees out in the cold. My mom says treat people the way you want to be treated. Show respect and you will be respected in return. I think the same goes for kindness. We need to stop all the pain, draw a line under it and move on. Fighting only causes more fighting. Imagine the children who are three, the war in Syria had been going on for 5 yrs; these kids don’t know their country without war. What did World War 1 and World War 2 achieve, nothing but pain and disrespect. We can all be a Hugh O’Flaherty, God has no country and there are no borders in life. So why should there be walls?